After Kobe and Lebrons playing days are done..

[shawn_chrystafur]

After Kobe and Lebron are done (which will be years from now) playing in the league.. will they still have signature shoes coming out like Jordan? Should they?.. opinions?

 

[bundy9]

I think it's too early to say cuz it will depend on how their careers have ended. But it in terms of accomplishments and who may be seen as the more revered player, Kobe's kicks may hold more value.

In terms of one which had a cleaner slate of kicks, considering just being with one brand and having, imo "cooler" kicks and great hype from start to end, Lebron will get a lot of points.

It all depends on what criteria you set to judge them both...but still I think it's too early to tell....but if you wanna compare it to a JB scale, I would say Kobe, just for the larger portfolio of achievements


edit:
I think I misread the original post as to just defining the value of the kicks after retirement and what would be most sought after.....but to answer the question directly as to which line has the "staying power" and continue with sig kicks, I still think it would be Kobe's, again based on the points I gave before. Lebron's kicks had a bunch of unreleased versions, so I see it being more of a retro line. But considering LBJ is pushing to establish himself as a brand and business with LRMR and wanting to "draft" John Wall and things along that line,...I don't doubt the possibility of  his line continuing either....just for business continuity purposes. But based on the JB comparison, I say Kobe...

 

[jeffgdula]

More likely for LeBron than Kobe.

 

[bostonthreeparty]

if Bron bron gets, say 2 or 3 rings yeah. but i don't see anything for kobe.

but what i am curious to see is who's gonna get a signature shoe, aside from Kevin Durant

 

[dcortes23]

yeah i dont see why they wouldnt! then it'll be KD turn to take over!

 

[longrange3ball]

probably only retro their old kicks.

 

[airjordan jb23]

I see them just doing retros...

By the time these 2 retire (especially LeBron) they'll have a bunch of sneakers & colorways that could be re-released. They really don't need any more new additions to a line to come out.

 

[peks03]

whomever nike can still make money off of will get more signature shoes. i don't really see nike making that much of either kobe or lebron when they retire, but if i had to choose right now i would go with kobe because he has more championships. we'll see what happens if lebron pulls off a couple.

 

[no vert]

Good question. I'm gonna say Kobe for performance, and Bron for style. It depends on which limb Nike chooses to go out on.

 

[andfattoo]

Just like Penny's..... they will probably just retro the older kicks. Unless Lebron or Kobe becomes there own brand which i doubt will happen.

 

[swooshallday]

i'm looking forward to that day. they might release the fruity pebbles then, lol

 

[reggie2k8]

I doubt either will have a shoe line after they retire. Their lines may continue for a season or two but it won't last. Nike is trying to make Lebron the next Jordan but he doesn't have that "it" factor that would put him in the same sentence as Jordan, Michael Jackson, Ali, Ruth, Elvis, Madanna, etc. You have to understand that Jordan was a cultural icon even before he won a championship and he became even more popular when he started winning. Not to brag about this, but people use to get killed over the latest Jordans that is how "important" those shoes were. I don't know anyone that has ever got killed over a pair of Lebrons. The only real people that buy Lebron's or Kobe's are fans of those players. People that didn't watch basketball wore Jordans. One could argue that the brand has become bigger than the man. Half the kids that wear Jordan's now are not old enough to have watched him play. I'm going on 24 and I vaguely remember when MJ played.

 

[shawn_chrystafur]

Originally Posted by andfattoo

Just like Penny's..... they will probably just retro the older kicks. Unless Lebron or Kobe becomes there own brand which i doubt will happen.

but Penny said the reason his signature line stopped was because all his shoe designers had went over to JB... and besides.. they stopped his line in his 6th season I believe.. after the 50 game season..

 

[crazy ebw]

Penny's line stopped because he fell off harder than Vin Diesel.

 

[ohdannyboy]

retro's yes...new kicks no

 

[mister friendly]

Originally Posted by reggie2k8

I doubt either will have a shoe line after they retire. Their lines may continue for a season or two but it won't last. Nike is trying to make Lebron the next Jordan but he doesn't have that "it" factor that would put him in the same sentence as Jordan, Michael Jackson, Ali, Ruth, Elvis, Madanna, etc. You have to understand that Jordan was a cultural icon even before he won a championship and he became even more popular when he started winning. Not to brag about this, but people use to get killed over the latest Jordans that is how "important" those shoes were. I don't know anyone that has ever got killed over a pair of Lebrons. The only real people that buy Lebron's or Kobe's are fans of those players. People that didn't watch basketball wore Jordans. One could argue that the brand has become bigger than the man. Half the kids that wear Jordan's now are not old enough to have watched him play. I'm going on 24 and I vaguely remember when MJ played.

Exactly!

Jordans are in their own elite class. Neither Kobe or LeBron have produced consistent sneaker hits like Jordans.  What's the biggest hit of either Kobe or LeBrons line? The Kobe IV?

 

[never wear them]

Hmm... I can see both lines continuing.... But one will fall if sales drop....

I can see the Kobe Line being referred as the Performance line for Nike Basketball. They'll probably want people to think, if they want a performance type shoe, look into the Kobe Line.

Only time will tell tho.

 

[never wear them]

But seriously..... I sorta would rather see a lot of lebron unreleased colorways retro'd.... Like c'mon... Dunkman 3s, maybe fruity pebbles, a lot of the 7s.... I'd kill for zk3 purple toe 3s tho in my size.

 

[pay jape]

Originally Posted by BostonThreeParty

if Bron bron gets, say 2 or 3 rings yeah. but i don't see anything for kobe.

but what i am curious to see is who's gonna get a signature shoe, aside from Kevin Durant

tyreke evans needs a sig shoe.  colorway is sooo dope.

 

[swingshot]

IIRC Penny said he was told that the designers were on other projects and he was offered a spot on brand jordan. The penny iv concept was very diff from the final shoe. The iv being his last was nothing sudden.

 

[shawn_chrystafur]

Originally Posted by Crazy EBW

Penny's line stopped because he fell off harder than Vin Diesel.

But he lead Phoenix his first year there and was very deserving of a Penny V..

 

[eg0t]

Originally Posted by andfattoo

Just like Penny's..... they will probably just retro the older kicks. Unless Lebron or Kobe becomes there own brand which i doubt will happen.

 

[shaft]

You guys seem to forget that Jordan introduced the "culture" to the masses...LBJ and KB are very good, but they don't have the cultural grip that MJ does.

I only see retroes...


Also, my indicator would be when they remove the swoosh from the shoes. IF the swoosh goes, then there are long-term plans. IMO.